Category: Eye Makeup

Top 5 Summer Beauty Goals

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I shop for makeup like I’m at the supermarket.  Each month I do a monthly cosmetics haul.  First, I go to Ulta and check to see which products I haven’t tried and might want to try.  Next, I check to see if there are any new products that have come out yet.  I do the same thing at Sephora, by the way.  Some months I alternate because they each may have different campaigns running.  Finally, I go through all of my stuff and decide which products are best for me during the particular season. If it sounds borderline compulsive, it is! Then next month repeat!

This month I was looking through all of my Summer products and realized that I had the same color theme working in my stash.  I tend to gravitate towards hot pinks, berry, purple, and reds.  I love color. The problem is that I like loud color and I should be changing a little based on the seasons.  For Summer, in particular, I should be wearing more nudes, soft pinks, and pastels.  After all, what could it hurt?

After looking through all of my lipsticks, I decided that I needed to add some seasonal makeup goals to my routine.  After researching the trends, I decided to invest in a few Spring-ish looks on my next Ulta run.  Here’s what I plan to try more of this Summer:

  • Play with colorful eyes.
  • Add a little glitter.
  • Glow with a lot of highlighter.
  • Nude pinks on the lips.
  • Blush with rosy cheeks.

 

Meghan Markle’s Bridal Makeup

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If you like fairy tales, unconventional love stories, and timeless beauty, then you were probably amongst the other 29 million viewers tuning in to watch #TheRoyalWedding of Prince Henry Charles Albert David to Rachel Meghan Markle on Saturday, May 19. To those that think rising as early as 4 a.m. American time just to gawk at the likes of British royalty is absurd, let me assure you that The British did not disappoint. As a matter of fact, the event turned out to be quite enlightening and entertaining.

I could literally write about all of the things that I found fascinating about the wedding from the classy British toppers to the dapper British digs. However, there’s only one major detail that needs to be discussed for the purpose of this blog that cannot be ignored or downplayed. That detail is the absolute flawlessness of the bride’s simple bridal makeup. If anyone missed the memo about less being more, then please refer to The Duchess of Sussex; she got it right.

Now it doesn’t hurt to point out that she is naturally, strikingly beautiful. Likewise, her natural wedding day glow didn’t make it any less so. In my amateur opinion, her makeup was not just perfect for a royal wedding, but any wedding. Personally, I think her bridal makeup would be a good reference for any bride trying to achieve a more natural beauty look.

How does one achieve this look so effortlessly displayed by Royals? By focusing on these key focal points, these tips can help you create a more natural bridal look like Meghan’s.

1) Instead of choosing a heavy foundation, you might choose a tinted moisturizer or foundation stick which isn’t as heavy on the skin. The goal is to have your makeup look weightless, not packed on or caked.
2) The cheeks should be two shades darker than the natural skin tone and not rosy or pink. The key is to create a cheeky effect without looking cheesy. Dark, but soft and subtle colors on the cheeks achieve this look.
3) Meghan has beautiful amber-colored eyes so her eyeliner was lightly tinted with brown eyeliner or you can achieve this look with gray, but not black. Brown or gray give a more natural look without making the eyes look too dark or defined. Again, softness is the goal here. Brown actually works well with darker skin, also.
4) The eyebrows are lightly penciled with light brown, not black or dark brown due to the fairness of her skin. A darker color would create a less natural effect. By making the eyebrows brown but not too dark, the color actually shapes her eyes giving her a more dramatic look.
5) Finally, a soft pale pink on the lips creates the perfect hint of color without too much.

Boom! There you have it! This is how a princess was created!

By following all five of these steps, you can achieve the Meghan Markle bridal look and look as naturally beautiful as she did on her wedding day! What are your bridal tips to help achieve that beautiful, natural glow?

My 2017 Beauty Wish List

I’m a list person. I love to make lists. I take pleasure in writing goals, resolutions, and especially to-do lists. I like to plan for the things that I try to accomplish and the things I want.  However, I rarely make Christmas lists.  When Christmas rolls around, I just wing it. Even though my children made their Christmas lists for me faithfully each year when they were young, I never paid much attention to their lists because I had my own. Don’t judge me. 🙁

For me, Christmas is a time for giving. I always considered creating a Christmas list as an act of selfishness. Christmas isn’t the time to be selfish. Typically, we tend to spend money for Christmas gifts that we wouldn’t buy any other time of the year.  Thus, the splurge mentality.  This past year I had a thought. I realized that creating a want list for Christmas is no different than when I create lists for my goals and my New Year’s Resolutions. I completed my “want list” for Christmas and recently got everything on my list.  I am rewarding myself with a few items that I have worked hard for throughout the year. I decided to splurge a little. Lucky for me, the only thing I love is makeup!!!!

I made my list and checked it twice.  Therefore, I decided that is even more of a reason for me to follow through with my list. This year has been a doozie for me, complete with many highs and lows. With every obstacle, I managed to survive. I can’t think of any other reason why I shouldn’t treat myself to a few of my favorite beauty goodies for conquering all of the hurdles of 2016. These are my MVPs for 2017.

1) The Tartelette Naturals Palette $34.50 (www.ulta.com) Shown above.

What’s great about it:  It’s great natural clay palette for the eyes.  Clay matte makes the application go on smoothly and naturally.

2) Mia 2 Clarisonic Brush $169 (www.ulta.com)


What’s great about it: It has dual power with two speeds.  It deep cleans the skin and leaves the face feeling like a baby’s bottom.

3) Lorac Tantalizer Baked Bronzer $35 (www.ulta.com)

What’s great about it: It can be used on any complexion. It gives the perfect bronze glow and it’s not too light or too dark.

4) Anastastia Beverly Hills eye brow pencil (dark brown and soft brown)v $18.50 (www.sephora.com)


What’s great about it: It’s the Bentley of eye brow pencils.  It can be described in one word: precise.

5) DiorShow Mascara $28.50 (www.ulta.com)


What’s great about it: This one product makes your lashes look like fake lashes. It has ltwo ends: one primer, the other mascara.

These are my beauty favs. What are yours?

 

 

 

 

Are you a makeup snob?

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You’ve met this chic before.  You ask her what brand lipstick she has on and she pulls out her MAC tube like she’s holding gold straight from U. S. Mint.  You immediately want to tell her, “Girl, bye!” Instead you just sit back and gloat because she just spent $15 on lipstick that’s cute, but you spent $2.99 on your Wet n Wild and you’re cute, too, with an extra $12 in your wallet to go buy more!  Yea, makeup snobs are a trip aren’t they?

A makeup snob believes that your makeup isn’t poppin unless you have to rob a bank to pay for it.  A makeup snob believes that the best makeup only comes from expensive department stores.  Lastly, a makeup snob believes that because she strictly wears MAC, Lancome, or Dior, her makeup game is somehow superior to the budget-friendly shopper that chooses to wear Cover Girl or Maybelline.

Allow me to set the record straight.  Although some brands are marketed as high end products, price alone does not dictate whether its a better product or not for the consumer.  When it comes to makeup, there are many factors to consider that determine what products are better than others.  In particular, your personal skincare needs and sensitivities should determine which products are better suited for you. Cost, location, or prestige should have nothing to do with why you buy your cosmetics products.  Popularity and packaging does not mean better.

However, there are some products that cost more because they contain ingredients that others might not.  Be certain that those are ingredients that you personally need rather than want because someone told you you might need them.

The next time you shop for makeup don’t overlook drug store products because they are in the drugstore.  Cover Girl and Revlon have some of the best lipsticks on the market.  The quality is just as good as MAC and a few dollars cheaper.  Even if money isn’t an issue, maybe convenience is.  Don’t overlook some of the cheaper products because you’re busy being a makeup snob to notice there is very little difference in the quality.  After all, it’s just makeup, gals! Buy that Wet n Wild, girl!  Live a little…

Share with us what your favorite brands are below.

 

New Year, New Makeup


Each year we clamor to try to make resolutions in order to improve our lives as if we won’t completely forget about those resolutions three months on down the line.  Well, we are four days into 2016 and it’s starting with new beginnings for me.  I decided that I wouldn’t make any New Year’s Resolutions this year, but instead focus on trying to do things differently and things I have never done before.

I have never worn makeup every day, but I decided that it was time for a new normal. I sell makeup; I promote makeup; I endorse makeup. Yet, I only wear it on special occasions. Therefore, today when I awakened I made myself up, but I didn’t just wear my regular makeup. I tried this brand new palette that I’ve had for months, but hadn’t used because I had been using the same palette since I bought it (old habits die hard). Starting this year, I will test every new product that I have in my possession.

How many of us have drawers full of makeup that we never use? Me, for $1,000, Alex! As a makeup lover, I continually buy new makeup each year. Sometimes, I buy so much I forget about it. Not this year. Not only am I going to use it, I’m going to share and let you guys know what I like and don’t like about these products.

This year in 2016 my resolve is to try my new products, play with them and spread the love. If you have any questions about these products, please feel free to leave your comments below. Let’s connect!